Why a broad?
Not quite a lady, and definitely not a dame, I left the United States a broad- a woman out in the world, daring to take charge of her situation. This blog serves to document my experiences and archive a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. From California to Copenhagen.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

- Saint Augustine

Sunday, September 25, 2011

"Almost there, almost there, feels like we've been getting nowhere"

Oh hey there.

The fingerless gloves are done, and have been keeping my oversized hands exceptionally warm during bike rides. The scarf is still coming along. I just found Zoolander in our common room so I have the sneaking feeling that it will become "Reelllly ridiculously good-luking" when I sit down to finish it.

This week I finished the book "King Queen Knave" by Vladimir Nabokov. Good in its own respects but nothing outstanding. There are a few delicious quotes in there as only Nabokov could write,"“The silk lining was crimson, as crimson as lips and flayed animals.” 96 or “That particular tinkle half-glass, half- metal, peculiar to the process of human feeding” 102

I started a book for class called "The Boy With the Top Knot" about a Sikh man growing up in multicultural Britain, and rewriting his life to cope with his father's secret past. Really interesting and exceptionally well written so far.

Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving. ~Albert Einstein

Today I went to the Cycling World Championships which were being held in a suburb just north of Copenhagen called Rudersdal. It's about a 30 minute train ride from the center of the city. The sun was shining, it was 20 degrees (after the initial shock, you eventually get used to using Celesius) I was wearing a T SHIRT for crying out loud and it was pleasantly warm biking from my house.

I knew very little about the race and even less about cycling as a sport. I knew that for the past week, time trials had been held throughout the main city and some fast mother effers in funny helmets (kindly look to the left) were screwing up all of the roads in Copenhagen. Only this morning, over freshly baked rolls and coffee, did my housemates tell me that the finals were being held today, and the event marked the largest sporting event hosted by Denmark EVER. So even though most of my friends were too *ahem* sleepy to go venture out on a Sunday afternoon, I decided to go and maybe learn something.
I didn't really, but I had a good time. I stood next to the american Announcer so I had a better idea of what was going on. However I did learn how slowly my camera takes a picture when 50 cyclists are whizzing past at 50 mph.
I would be signaled that they were on their way by the claps and cheers from down the road. Then I'd see a police, car hear "woohoooooo!" *clap clap clap *whoosh* and then they'd be gone for another 30 minutes until they looped around the track again.

In almost as important news as the world championships being hosted in Denmark, I found my first gluten free bakery in Copenhagen! It's a place called Naturbageriet (Nature Bakery) that has a bunch of different cake, energy bar, cookie and bread options. Their white poppyseed bread, although a little dry, was pretty decent but their banana cake was divine :)

I enjoyed it as I sat in my new favorite coffee house called "The Living Room". With huge leather chairs, candle light and fire pit in every common room, it plays soul music, sells extremely over-priced coffee and gives a great atmosphere for relaxing for a pot of tea in between classes or after a difficult day. And there's something about the foot rests that I just can't get over...

Finally, I've had a lot of free time, and while finding new ways to fill it I've taken to walking in the national park right by my house. Listening to some music in the marsh and picking blackberries on my walk certainly de-stresses quite a bit.

Ignore the creepy music video, but the song is awesome, John Legend- ah your voice does a woman's soul good. Although the first 10 seconds looks exactly like the public transportation in Copenhagen, so that's something! Minus the hooded horsemen and awful maggots.

The song I can't get out of my head, "Getting Nowhere" by Magnetic Men, Featuring John Legend

"Almost there, almost there, feels like we've been getting nowhere"- what the cyclists in the race think every time they make it past another lap.